LGP NASCAR Thread

[relantel]

Love the JJ hate. Just like when Gordon dominated, Earnhart before him. It means he is really good. It seems like some drivers don't gain popularity until they are older. Especially the good ones.

I used to hate Smoke too but as he got older I really don't mind him as much and find myself pulling for him.

I can say the same thing for Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace. Hated them. Then Waltrip drove for Earnhardt and I got over that. I forget when Wallace was, probably by the late 90s I was over him.

NASCAR needs a "villain" to survive though. That's why Kyle Busch is so important. He is the villain du jour. But like the sport itself, who is the villain and who is the hero is constantly evolving.

[CERV96]

In modern NASCAR, I've often wondered what percentage talent plays and what percentage equipment plays in how a team does.

Tough to say these days. I'd say anything at 3 championships or over some skill has to be involved over equiptment and team. I think 2 of the 5 championships Johnson won went down to him having to finish ahead of his competition at Homestead. Remember, the guy still has to drive the car and hit his marks with traffic, etc. So I think some credit needs to go to the driver. NASCAR seems to be more of a team sport these days than in the past. I think Hendrick set the bar on that with Gordon and Labonte.

Tony Stewart I would have to say is the most all around talented driver in NASCAR at this moment. The guy can ride in anything with wheels and can succeed.

[shafnutz05]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/10/26/darrell-wallace-jr-martinsville-nascar-trucks-race/3251257/

Seems like a great person and a great driver....awesome

Becoming the second African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race was a triumph of patience for Darrell Wallace Jr.

He hopes it's also worth the wait for a sport that has spent much of the past decade trying to diversify a traditionally lilywhite roster of drivers after claiming only one black winner in its first 65 years.

"I want to be a role model and inspiration to the younger kids and just change the sport as a whole and for the better, and winning helps everything," Wallace, 20, said. "I think that'll help kind of pave its own way there and hopefully get my name out there even more. That's what I've been trying to do is to get my name out there to keep pushing (and) striving for kids younger than me to get in the sport."

[relantel]

kid will win in cup someday

[relantel]

Ouch. Jeff Gordon wins last week at Martinsville, giving himself a glimmer of hope to the title, half a race's points back of the leaders, to hitting the wall hard early today at Texas.

[relantel]

strong second for the 88 but no way the 48 was giving this one away. 3rd time this season that Earnhardt was second to Johnson, and fifth overall.

[relantel]

I hadn't looked at Sagarin in a while. Basically tight grouping from 5-10. Sagarin was always a quick way to see specific top 5s (to know who controls tiebreaks, for example).

As it stands right now, Kenseth holds tiebreaker on Johnson for wins. But if the 48 wins Phoenix or Homestead, while Kenseth does not, creating 7 wins each, tiebreaker would be 2nd place finishes, which Johnson has 2-1. In that case, Kenseth to clinch the tiebreak with both having 7 wins would require a 2nd place finish and a 2nd or 3rd place finish. But if Johnson doesn't win any more races, the tiebreaker stays with Kenseth. The top 3 in points each have 8 top 2 finishes. Kasey Kahne has 7, then Harvick and Earnhardt with 5 each, followed by Gordon with 3, and Bowyer, Edwards and Logano with 2. No one outside the top 10 on Sagarin's list have more than 2 top 2s.

Code: Select all

2013 NASCAR Ratings thru results of 2013 NOVEMBER 3 SUNDAY
(AAA Texas 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, TX |  Race 34 of 36)

A driver's rating takes into account his finishing positions, how many
drivers were in each race, the number of races he's started, and the
total amount of races there have been on the circuit so far.                       
RATING  1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th  6-10 11-20 RACES  HI  LO
1 Jimmie Johnson        84.64    6   2   1   3   3     7     5    34   1  40
2 Matt Kenseth          80.25    7   1   1   1   1     8     8    34   1  40
3 Kyle Busch            77.33    4   4   0   3   5     4     5    34   1  38
4 Kevin Harvick         72.50    3   2   2   0   1    11    12    34   1  42
5 Dale Earnhardt Jr.    65.47    0   5   1   0   2    12     7    34   2  39
6 Clint Bowyer          64.95    0   2   2   1   4     9    12    34   2  39
7 Carl Edwards          64.24    2   0   3   2   2     7    12    34   1  39
8 Jeff Gordon           63.71    1   2   4   1   0     9     9    34   1  39
9 Kasey Kahne           62.53    2   5   1   1   1     3     9    34   1  42
10 Joey Logano          62.12    1   1   3   2   3     7     8    34   1  40

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/s ... 13/rating/

[TheHammer24]

I hadn't looked at Sagarin in a while. Basically tight grouping from 5-10. Sagarin was always a quick way to see specific top 5s (to know who controls tiebreaks, for example).

As it stands right now, Kenseth holds tiebreaker on Johnson for wins. But if the 48 wins Phoenix or Homestead, while Kenseth does not, creating 7 wins each, tiebreaker would be 2nd place finishes, which Johnson has 2-1. In that case, Kenseth to clinch the tiebreak with both having 7 wins would require a 2nd place finish and a 2nd or 3rd place finish. But if Johnson doesn't win any more races, the tiebreaker stays with Kenseth. The top 3 in points each have 8 top 2 finishes. Kasey Kahne has 7, then Harvick and Earnhardt with 5 each, followed by Gordon with 3, and Bowyer, Edwards and Logano with 2. No one outside the top 10 on Sagarin's list have more than 2 top 2s.

Code: Select all

2013 NASCAR Ratings thru results of 2013 NOVEMBER 3 SUNDAY
(AAA Texas 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, TX |  Race 34 of 36)

A driver's rating takes into account his finishing positions, how many
drivers were in each race, the number of races he's started, and the
total amount of races there have been on the circuit so far.                       
RATING  1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th  6-10 11-20 RACES  HI  LO
1 Jimmie Johnson        84.64    6   2   1   3   3     7     5    34   1  40
2 Matt Kenseth          80.25    7   1   1   1   1     8     8    34   1  40
3 Kyle Busch            77.33    4   4   0   3   5     4     5    34   1  38
4 Kevin Harvick         72.50    3   2   2   0   1    11    12    34   1  42
5 Dale Earnhardt Jr.    65.47    0   5   1   0   2    12     7    34   2  39
6 Clint Bowyer          64.95    0   2   2   1   4     9    12    34   2  39
7 Carl Edwards          64.24    2   0   3   2   2     7    12    34   1  39
8 Jeff Gordon           63.71    1   2   4   1   0     9     9    34   1  39
9 Kasey Kahne           62.53    2   5   1   1   1     3     9    34   1  42
10 Joey Logano          62.12    1   1   3   2   3     7     8    34   1  40

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/s ... 13/rating/

If Johnson wins at Phoenix in Homestead, he'll have more points than Kenseth. There's no way Johnson can finish with 7 wins and the same amount of points as Kenseth.

[relantel]

the scenario would assume JJ wins 1 race of the two left and finish low enough in the other to end up tied - probably 15th or worse.

[TheHammer24]

the scenario would assume JJ wins 1 race of the two left and finish low enough in the other to end up tied - probably 15th or worse.

Duh. You're right. I thought Johnson had two fewer wins that Kensenth, but, alas, he won Martinsville. Nice work! I actually wondered this!

[relantel]

Exciting finish to the truck race at Phoenix tonight. Keselowski vs Kyle..... as owners of the 1-2 trucks with drivers seeking their first win - Ross Chastain for BK and Erik Jones for KB... 15 to go.

[shafnutz05]

Exciting finish to the truck race at Phoenix tonight. Keselowski vs Kyle..... as owners of the 1-2 trucks with drivers seeking their first win - Ross Chastain for BK and Erik Jones for KB... 15 to go.

What a wreck-fest the last 30 or 40 laps has been

[relantel]

could have used another wreck there. Jones drove that last 10 laps like he stole it.

[relantel]

wow. Kid is 17. I forgot they changed the minimum age on the truck series back to what it used to be. When Kyle Busch was coming up, they raised it to 18.

[relantel]

NW yesterday.... Keselowski wrecks so neck and neck are Penske 22 and Gibbs 18 for owners title as Kyle Busch wins the race. 22 still leads. Austin Dillon takes an 8 point lead over Sam Hornish going into Homestead. If Dillon finishes with 41 points - 3rd (no laps led), 4th (lap led) or 5th (most laps led) - he will clinch the title. Hornish has 1 win to Dillon's 0, so a tie would be to Hornish.

Trucks: Crafton merely has to start next week at Homestead to win the title. (If he didn't start, it would take Ty Dillon winning the race to take the title - meaning if Dillon finishes 2nd or worse then Crafton would still win title even if he didn't start.

[TheHammer24]

Gibbs 54 is in second in owners. Easy to oversight given its Busch and the 18 has historically competed.

Train wreck for Matt Kenseth today. Not much more to say other than JJ had to save his car a couple times. He did of course.

I have one comment. The Kenseth pit stop where the crew didn't know how many tires to take was totally overblown. Kenseth was the last guy on pit road.he asked for four tires after Ratcliff called two because there were no spots to lose. He could have spent all day on pit road.

[relantel]

Gibbs 54 is in second in owners. Easy to oversight given its Busch and the 18 has historically competed.

Train wreck for Matt Kenseth today. Not much more to say other than JJ had to save his car a couple times. He did of course.

I have one comment. The Kenseth pit stop where the crew didn't know how many tires to take was totally overblown. Kenseth was the last guy on pit road.he asked for four tires after Ratcliff called two because there were no spots to lose. He could have spent all day on pit road.

thanks for the correct.

Had to laugh at the 88 radio as Edwards ran out of fuel. Paraphrased, Earnhardt called Harvick the luckiest SOB he knows. Letarte retorted lookout if Harvick is running second as someone will run out of gas. (Harvick won Charlotte in May 2011 like that at the 88's expense)

[shafnutz05]

Trevor Bayne diagnosed with multiple scelrosis

Roush Fenway announces @TBayne21 diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Bayne/Roush comments ->

Daytona 500 winner and Roush Fenway Racing (RFR) driver Trevor Bayne has announced today that he has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Bayne - 22 years old - has undergone extensive testing at the Mayo Clinic and has been cleared by doctors and NASCAR to compete behind the wheel.

“I’ve never been more driven to compete,” said Bayne. “My goals are the same as they’ve been since I started racing. I want to compete at the highest level and I want to win races and championships. I am in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I feel good,” added Bayne. “There are currently no symptoms and I’m committed to continuing to take the best care of my body as possible. I will continue to trust in God daily and know that His plan for me is what is best.

“As for now, I want to close out the season strong this weekend at Homestead and then shift my focus on getting ready to compete for the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) Championship in 2014. I have a great team, a great family and great people all around me. I have been truly blessed in life and I look forward to what my future holds.”

In 2011, Bayne became the youngest driver in NASCAR history to win the famed Daytona 500. He is currently sixth in the NNS standings, having accumulated one win, six top-five and 20 top-10 finishes in 2013. He will compete again full-time for the NNS championship in 2014, driving the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford Mustang.

“We are 100 percent supportive of Trevor and his ability to compete in a race car,” said Roush Fenway team owner Jack Roush. “I have full confidence in Trevor and his partners have all expressed that same confidence and support. As with all of our drivers, we look forward to standing behind Trevor and providing him with all of the tools he needs as he continues to develop in his young career.”

[CERV96]

Like him or hate him that 48 car is good.

[TheHammer24]

The 48 is awesome. I think he's the greatest of all time.

Also, Denny wins! Woo! That was an incredible final 30 laps. Can we race in Miami all year? Is it that hard to figure out that tracks like Homestead, Atlanta, and Texas produce great racing because of the pavement is old? The circuit should be limited to all short tracks, road courses, and old pavement. Get rid of the Kansases, Michigans, Poconos. Phoenix is bad now. Why do they repave those?!

[CERV96]

Was glad Denny won this week. Incredible story with what he has dealt with all year. I see him winning a championship before Kyle Bush does.

[relantel]

Kenseth was an idiot. He had no chance at the win, or title, and simply blocked. His right, but he's an ass for doing so.

[relantel]

I will say, it is hard to hate Jimmie Johnson.

[TheHammer24]

Kenseth was an idiot. He had no chance at the win, or title, and simply blocked. His right, but he's an ass for doing so.

I disagree, here. First, he wasn't receiving radio updates on the 48. He needed every point, and he really needed to win. If you can increase your chances of winning the championship by 2%, you do it. Second, he finished second. So blocking worked. Third, it wasn't particularly egregious blocking. They made contact once. They ran their lines, and Kenseth used all of the space instead of letting Jr. pass. Fourth, it's Homestead. There are 3+ grooves. Jr. has to make that pass with his car. Fifth, Kenseth had the added incentive that JGR really wanted to get Denny a win. So anything that slowed the 88 down was good for the team. Indeed, the contact that slowed the two cars proved to be the difference. That was a big win for Denny. He has won each full-time year in the circuit. I'm not sure anyone else really has done that. Johnson, I'm sure, has. BK probably has too.

[JS©]

I'm also gonna disagree. What if JJ is part of an accident, needs to go to the pits for 2-3 laps and puts him about 21st before he comes out. Not saying that's where it would have been, but using it as an example of the points difference between Kenseth and Johnson. Then you have Kenseth scraping for every point possible.

I don't blame him for blocking. It's not good racing, but it does make sense when you're in a chase for the title